North Shore

Few places on earth have had as much impact on the mtb world as Vancouver’s North Shore mountains. From way back in the day it has been featured in countless freeride films and inspired trail builders and bikers around the world to replicate “The Shore” style of riding.

Only 45 minutes from the furthest outlying suburb of Metro Vancouver, the beautiful North Shore Mountains are a treasure to both residents and visitors of the region. “The Shore,” as it is affectionately referred to by locals, is the backyard playground to the region’s 2.3 million residents and offers some of the best mountain biking experiences in BC.

The North Shore community offers a full range of shops and services to support your biking adventure. With eight bike shops within minutes of trail heads, local hotels that cater to the cycling community and a host of restaurants and snack shops to choose from, you will find everything you need to make your day trip or week long adventure enjoyable.

The North Shore trails featured here are brought to you by a partnership of land managers including BC Parks (Mount Seymour), Metro Vancouver (Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve), District of North Vancouver (Mt Fromme) and the North Shore Mountain Biking Association (local trail advocacy group). This partnership extends beyond trail advocacy and maintenance as many of the partners play host to The Shore’s annual cycling events including the Dirty Duo, the Muddy Buddy, the BC Bike Race and The North Shore Bike Festival, a weekend long event that promotes cycling of all kinds from BMX, cross-country and downhill.

The trails highlighted here are a small selection of trails that can serve as starting points as you discover the wide variety of riding on the original North Shore.

With Vancouver’s North Shore communities nestled between the Coast Mountains and the shores of English Bay, Burrard Inlet, and Indian Arm, nature and boundless outdoor adventure permeates everyday life.

NORTH SHORE MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION (NSMBA) – Trails for all, trails forever! The NSMBA is a voice for the mountain biking community of the North Shore. We protect and maintain the trails as environmental leaders, focused on sustainability through education & action. We develop trail networks that provide challenge and progression while fostering mountain bike culture and a community that embraces our sport as a positive force. Check out the events calendar for details on what’s happening on the Shore. If you ride The Shore, please support the NSMBA!

VANCOUVER’S NORTH SHORE TOURISM ASSOCIATION – If you are looking for other things to see and do on the North Shore, check out Vancouver’s North Shore Tourism for a complete list of accommodation options, dining, entertainment, and attractions…where nature lives.

NSRIDE BIKE CLUB – NSRIDE presented by the North Shore Riding Society is a mountain biking club based in North Vancouver. We offer guided group rides for the members on a weekly basis. We are a not-for-profit organization run by a dedicated group of volunteers to provide members a supportive and social network for cycling. Our objective is to create new riders and motivate existing riders by providing an organized program of group rides led by qualified individuals in a safe and fun environment. Along with organizing a variety of rides for a range of fitness and skill levels, NSRIDE organizes trail maintenance days and social events for members to enjoy. Become a member and join us for a ride. After the ride, we’ll go out for a bite to eat and drink pints to re-hydrate - because you’ve earned it!

Located to the north of Burrard Inlet, the North Shore is a suburb of Vancouver with a population of more than 178,000. It includes three municipalities: the District of West Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver.

Getting to Vancouver’s North Shore is simple, quick, and scenic. The North Shore is linked to Vancouver by two historic bridges: The landmark Lions Gate Bridge and the Iron Worker’s Memorial (or Second Narrows) Bridge.

North Shore By Public TransitOne of the most popular and scenic ways to cross Burrard Inlet is by SeaBus, a short 12-minute harbour-hop that zips you from downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale Quay, amidst freighters, tugs, float planes, helicopters and occasional cruise ships and kayaks that ply the bustling harbour. If you are coming from Vancouver Airport, take the Canada Line Skytrain to Waterfront Station. Then take the Seabus accross to the Lonsdale Quay. From the Quay you can either take a taxi or a bus to reach your destination. You can also take the 210 Bus from downtown right to the base of Fromme Mountain.

From a family of artists, Tristan Deggan has been educated in Canada and in France where he has spent six months of every year since he was born. His interest in photography started at an early age and has grown ever since into what is now a full time profession. As a...